Anne Louise (Lesica) Eslieb passed away peacefully on May 15, 2025 after a full and vibrant 87 years. Anne was the wife of her beloved Amos J. Eslieb. She was predeceased by her son John whom she so loved. Anne was born on Staten Island to Anthony and Phyllis Lesica. She was a graduate of Wagner College and Rutgers University. She had an enormous compassion for children and was employed as a guidance counselor in the N.Y.C. public schools and schools in PA.

She cherished her cousins and niece Marian Tanasiuk and treasured friends.

Services will be Private and are entrusted to Downing Funeral Home, Inc.

Donations may be made to Mercy Special Learning School 830 S. Woodward St. Allentown, PA 18103.

Irene Emily (Kerecz) Recor, 98, of Bethlehem, passed away Wednesday, April 16, 2025. She was the loving wife of the late Oscar M. Recor. Born in Bethlehem, she was the daughter of the late Kalman and Amelia (Szukics) Kerecz. Irene retired from Burron Medical Supply. She was a member of Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church and their auxiliary. Irene loved celebrating her Yugoslavian heritage. She was very artistic and enjoyed making and teaching ceramics. Irene was a phenomenal cook, gardener and seamstress. She loved to travel, dance, was extremely social, full of energy and enthusiasm. She had a zest for life and loved everyone. She will be deeply missed.
Survivors: daughter- Roxanne Wright, son- Rodney Recor, grandchildren- Colin Wright and Lauren Skaggs, great grandchildren- Michael Wright and Emily Grace Skaggs, niece- Emily Ann Harley, nephews- Bela Kerecz Jr. and Robert Kerecz. She was predeceased by her siblings- Christina Kacmar, Stephen Kerecz, Bela Kerecz, Kalman Kerecz Jr., Joseph Kerecz and Frank Kerecz.
A calling time will be held Tuesday, April 22nd 10:30-11:00AM with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11AM all in Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church 730 W. Broad St. Bethlehem, PA 18018. Burial to follow in Holy Saviour Cemetery, Bethlehem.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital care of Downing Funeral Home, Inc.

Melissa M. Sienicki, 48, of Bethlehem, passed away April 8, 2025. She was the loving wife of Kyle P. Dietterich. Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of Mary (Gorman) Sienicki and the late Robert Sienicki. Melissa graduated from Albright University with her bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She worked in Arbitration for Farmers Insurance. She was a master cook, logistical wizard, graceful wife, and the kindest friend anyone could ever ask for. We all owe her for teaching us so much what being a wonderful person meant, and the world is poorer for having lost her. We will miss her terribly.
Survivors: husband- Kyle Dietterich, mother- Mary Sienicki, brother- Aaron Sienicki, sister-Rebecca Sienicki, niece- Holly Smalle. She was predeceased by her brother- Daniel Sienicki.
A calling time will be held Tuesday, April 15th 9-10AM with a Service at 10AM in Downing Funeral Home, Inc. 1002 W. Broad St. Bethlehem, PA 18018.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Melissa’s memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital care of the funeral home.

Deborah A. (Bergeris) Reinert, 67, of Bethlehem, passed away March 12, 2025. She was the loving wife of 49 years to Charles L. Reinert. Born in Bethlehem, she was the daughter of the late John and Gladys (Rice) Bergeris. She was a member of the former St. Matthews Lutheran Church and currently The Blessed Trinity at Rosemont. Deborah enjoyed reading and spending time with her family. She will be deeply missed.
Survivors: husband, 3 daughters, 2 son-in-laws, 9 grandchildren, 1 grandson-in-law, 1 great grandchild and 1 sister. She was predeceased by 1 sister.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, March 22nd 9-10:30AM with a Service at 10:30AM in Downing Funeral Home, Inc. 1002 W. Broad St. Bethlehem, PA 18018. Burial to follow in Cedar Hill Memorial Park, Allentown.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Deborah’s memory to the funeral home towards her funeral expenses.

Steven J. Weed, 53, of Bethlehem, passed away February 24, 2025. Born in Richland, WA, he was the son of the late Louis Steven Weed and the late Barbara (Morrison) Sokolsky. Steven was a member of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Allentown and their Senior Group. He enjoyed puzzling, playing Wordle and creating video games on his computer. He will be deeply missed.
Survivors: siblings- Mike Weed and his wife Lisa, John Weed, Jim Weed and his wife Angelina, Lynne Maynard and her husband Matt, Andy Weed, Jerry Weed, Barbara Kozo and her husband Benjamin; nieces and nephews- Elizabeth, Brooke, Bailey, Lucille, Simon, Will and Jack.
A Calling Time will be held Tuesday, March 4th 9-10AM with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10AM all in Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church 730 W. Broad St. Bethlehem, PA 18018. Inurnment to follow in Holy Saviour Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Steven’s memory to Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church 444 N Jasper St. Allentown, PA 18109.

Mary (Schaffer) Korpics, a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and stories—lots and lots of stories.

She is survived by her children, Robert (Laura) Korpics, Michael (Amy) Korpics, and Tesa (Gary) McLean, as well as five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, all of whom adored her. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charles Korpics, and her son, Charles Korpics Jr, whom she now joins in eternal rest.

To know Mary was to love her. She was a joy and a light, a woman with a boundless heart and an endless supply of tales to tell. If you had the pleasure of sitting with her, you undoubtedly heard the same stories more than once—but somehow, they never got old. She could talk until she was blue in the face, and her grandkids (who lovingly called her Nana) wouldn’t have had it any other way. She had a knack for making history feel alive, for ensuring no moment, no memory, no detail was ever lost.

In her later years, she found warmth and happiness in sunny Myrtle Beach, living with her daughter and son in law, and soaking up every bit of love, laughter, and storytelling she could.

Though her absence leaves a void that can never truly be filled, her family finds comfort in knowing she is reunited with her husband and son, likely catching them up on every detail they missed. Her spirit lives on in the stories she shared, the laughter she inspired, and the love she gave so freely.

A Calling Time will be held Saturday, March 1st 9-10AM with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10AM all in Notre Dame of Bethlehem Catholic Church 1861 Catasauqua Rd Bethlehem, PA 18018. Inurnment to follow in Holy Saviour Cemetery, Bethlehem.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause close to her heart.

May her stories live on, may her laughter echo, and may her light never fade.

It is with sadness we announce the death of Frederick “Fred” J. Gainer on January 30, 2025, at Novant Hospital in Wilmington NC.

Fred was born in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, on April 22, 1950, and was the son of William Gainer and Maize (Hewitt) Gainer. He is survived by his wife Nancy Downing-Gainer, son Max-Erick Downing Gainer (wife Carla) of Wake Forest, NC, and sister Carolyn of Bethlehem, PA. He was predeceased in death by his brother William “Bill” Gainer.

Fred graduated from Penn State University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education. He spent his career in College Administration at Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York, The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, North Carolina. His lifelong volunteer work included Grief Counselor for several organizations in the Hudson Valley. He was Especially Proud of his AIDS/HIV Grief Group Counseling in the 1980s and early 1990s.

He was a Follower of Elizabeth Kubler Ross and assisted with the creation of Hospice Care in the Hudson Valley New York. Served on the Board and as a Trainer. He believed in the “Death With Dignity” concept. He was a certified Grief Counselor and ran groups throughout the Hudson Valley through St. Francis Hospital. He was a Board Member of New York Lighthouse.

He and his family moved to NC in 2000 in preparation for Retirement. He retired in 2010 from Cape Fear Community College and continued to support that institution through his donations.

Fred was a kind and caring and gentle man. He spent his life in service and put others first. His interests here in Wilmington included watching his beloved Red Sox play, Fishing, Bird Watching and the care and feeding of the Blue Bird population. He was a family man, who considered his position as a Father and Husband the most important thing he could do. He is missed by all who knew him.

There will be calling hours held on Saturday, April 26th 11AM-12PM in Downing Funeral Home, Inc. 1002 W. Broad St. Bethlehem, PA 18018. Burial will be Private in Holy Saviour Cemetery.

Robert J. Butcher, affectionately known as Bob, passed away on January 27, 2025, at the age of 88. Born in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, to the late Andrew and Mary (Halko) Butcher, Bob’s life took an interesting turn after high school when he served in the Navy Reserves for six dedicated years.
Bob was a true Renaissance man, excelling in various fields throughout his career. He spent many years as a skilled machinist at RCA before embarking on a series of diverse occupations. His final role was as a security officer at Princeton University, where he retired at the age of 70.
A devout Catholic, Bob dedicated the last 30+ years of his life to Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. There, he purchased a house with a magnificent swimming pool, which became a cherished gathering place for his friends and family during the summer months.
Beyond his professional achievements, Bob was also an avid photographer, an enthusiast of classic cars, particularly his beloved 1972 Pontiac, affectionately named “Yellowbird.” These passions were complemented by his numerous summer trips to the ocean with his soulmate, Barbara Thornton.
Bob’s witty nature and infectious laughter will leave an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew him. He is survived by his younger brother, Andrew Butcher, and their nephews, David Shott, Brian Shott, Kenneth Shott, Russel Onderko, and Richard Onderko. He is also survived by his nieces, Rosalynne Letcavage and Christine Pribish, and his stepdaughters, Lynn Anne Szczeck (Robert), Susan Eaton (Sean), and numerous step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Robert is also predeceased by his lifelong companion, Barbara M. Thornton, his sisters, Eleanor Shott and Rose Onderko.
A viewing will be held on Monday, February 3rd, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church, located at 730 W Broad St in Bethlehem, PA 18018. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30AM. The burial will take place at St. Michael’s Byzantine Catholic Cemetery in McAdoo.
Downing Funeral Home, Inc. in Bethlehem, PA, is entrusted with the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Robert’s memory in support of the Morrisville Senior Center, located at 31E Cleveland Avenue in Morrisville, PA 19067.